1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to kitchen utensils for cooking. More particularly the disclosed device and method relates to a removably engageable device adapted for operative engagement positioned between conventional cookware such as cooking pots, and pot lids, to an as-used position wherein the device prevents spillage from boiling liquids within the pot.
2. Prior Art
Cooking throughout the world employs pots and pans which are configured for positioning over a heat source such as a gas or electric burner. It is widely known that many cooking processes include the propensity of the food being cooked to suddenly form bubbling or foam layers at the food or liquid surface while being cooked with cookware such as pots. As a consequence, unless such cooking processes are constantly monitored, the rapidly rising foam or liquid layers can overcome the rim of any pot of practical dimensions. This can occur whether a lid is engaged over the pot or not. Such an occurrence results in the overflow onto the stove, counter, floor or user, of hot liquid and food.
An incidence of scalding, hot liquid escaping the confines of a cooking utensil results in a number of potential problems and none are desirable. At best, the escaping liquid will cover the stove and once cooled will require a difficult cleaning of multiple surfaces of the stove and burner. More significantly, escaping hot liquids can cause serious injury to persons adjacent the pot. As a consequence, such liquid and food overflows are messy, waste food, pose burning and slipping risks, and can create noxious odors if they come in contact with flames.
To date, such overflow incidences have been primarily avoided through careful control of the application of heat to the cooking vessel based various considerations of the user concerning the cooking liquids, pot sizes and configurations, and burner capabilities. This technique, however, is unreliable and requires considerable experience and knowledge of the specific utensils. Further, it requires ongoing diligence by the user on the cooking vessel during use. Such diligence is easily dissuaded in a busy kitchen which frequently misdirects user attention. As such, there is a constant threat of a boil over of the proverbial unwatched pot.
Although several overboiling prevention devices are currently available, such means are often cumbersome to the cooking process, are difficulty to employ and clean. Further, such devices are not configurable for adaptation to operatively engage a large range of pot and lid shapes and sizes.
As such, there is an unmet need for an overboil prevention device which is employable irrespective of the attention of the user, to prevent food and liquid from boiling over an unwatched pot. Such a device should be configurable to be adapted for removable engagement whereby it is easily affixed to and removed from a large range of pot sizes and designs. Further, such a device, once engaged to an as-used position on the pot of choice, should not be a physical impediment to use of the pot which would overburden the user during cooking.